Kyle Wagner

Basically the coolest and most futuristic app for iOS is finally on Android. Word Lens—the augmented reality app that translates signs, newspapers, menus, and anything else from one language to another in real time—is finally out on Android.

Holy crap. Sometimes do you almost pinch yourself, because you just can't believe you're…
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After a few minutes of testing the Android version, this initial build is decent, but very jumpy. It's definitely not for reading anything more than a few lines at a time, and even then you'll need to steady your hand. It's fine, but not as solid as the iOS version. That's a sad continuation of popular apps showing up very late to Android and not being as good as their iOS counterparts (looking at you, Instapaper Android app that shoots you to the top of an article every time you turn the phone sideways).

But still, Word Lens is the kind of HOLY SH*T HOW DID IT DO THAT ARE YOU A SORCERER app that makes the little hunks of rare earth minerals in our pockets feel truly futuristic. Anyway, the app is up in the Google Play store for $5. [Google Play via Quest Visual]